Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 at a glance:

  • 16.05-million-pixel sensor
  • Venus 7 HD II engine
  • ISO 160-12,800
  • 1080 50p HD video
  • 3in, 920,000-dot touchscreen LCD
  • Street price around £600 body only, or £700 with 14-42mm lens

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 review – Introduction:

Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-G1 was the model that kick-started the compact system camera market. Although the range has since expanded to include the GH, GF and GX versions, the G series retains its popularity due to the inclusion of a viewfinder, hotshoe mount and vari-angle screen.

The expansion of the range is a sign of the considerable size of the compact system market, which now accounts for 22% of all interchangeable-lens camera sales in the UK. The micro four thirds system used by Panasonic (and shared with Olympus) remains the largest, with 12 cameras and 29 lenses now available, 16 of the lenses being from Panasonic.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 is actually the fourth camera in the original G range, with the model number jumping from 3 to 5, thereby avoiding the unlucky (in Japan) number 4. While it is a natural successor to the G3, it will not replace the old model. Instead, both will be available, widening Panasonic’s range to provide a camera to suit a range of needs and budgets.

With an already impressive specification on the G3, one might expect improvements in the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 to be minimal, but it seems that the addition of elements from the Lumix DMC-GH2 and GF5, as well as some new functions, should allow the camera to distinguish itself from those models that have come before.

Features

Image: Using the magnified view to manual focus, it is possible to achieve impressive close-up shots. The 14-42mm X-series lens used here produces a nice bokeh effect, too

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 features the same 16.05-million-pixel sensor as the GH2, which is itself an upgrade from the 16-million-pixel unit in the G3. The G5’s sensor has an output of 4608×3456 pixels, which will comfortably deliver a high-resolution A3 print (at around 280dpi). Paired with the sensor is the new Venus 7 HD II engine processor as featured in the GF5. This has resulted in faster burst shooting, up from 4fps to 6fps, and a 1EV increase in ISO sensitivity, which now reaches 12,800. The combination also increases the video potential of the G5, which can record in 1080 50p using the AVCHD format or 1080 25p with MP4.

Images are saved in a choice of JPEG or Panasonic’s native RW2 raw files, with the option for combined raw and two levels of JPEG compression. There are also options for 3:2 and 16:9 aspect ratios to be recorded at 14 and 12-million-pixel resolutions respectively.

Image: In multi-segment metering, highlight detail can be lost when the dynamic range is exceeded, although this if easily rectified with exposure compensation.

As we saw in the G3, the readout from the sensor chips in both the camera and lens doubles from 60fps to 120fps when the shutter is half-pressed. This helps to deliver the autofocus speed, which is claimed to be even faster in this model. The metering uses a familiar 144-zone, multi-pattern system with intelligent multiple, centreweighted and spot options, while exposure compensation is available in ±5EV for a wide degree of adjustment if required.

A full selection of manual and auto shooting modes are available, including an iAuto button on the top-plate. This overrides all manual settings and employs the most relevant scene mode from data gathered by the camera. For burst shooting, the camera will allow nine raw or combined raw + JPEG frames, or 13 fine JPEG files before slowing to around 3fps. Raw files take quite a while to clear from the buffer (around 2secs per file), and while this doesn’t lock the camera down, it does mean having to wait to review the images. This can be up to 20secs after a high-speed burst.

Image: The Olympus micro four thirds 45mm f/1.8 lens gives a nice shallow depth of field, making it ideal for indoor portraits

A silent shutter mode is present for more discreet snapping, and both the scene guide and set of 14 filters come directly from the GF5. One new addition, however, is the HDR mode. The G5 is the first G-series model to include an HDR mode and it works in much the same way as other auto HDR functions, capturing a series of images and combining them in-camera to achieve a wider dynamic range. At present, this doesn’t seem to have been built into the iA functionality, so must be accessed from the automatic or priority shooting modes via the menu.

Externally, the differences to the G3 are subtle. The most noticeable is the deeper handgrip on the G5, which feels much more substantial in the hand. This change in design has also allowed the use of a larger battery unit, which therefore results in a longer shooting time. With the reliance on the electronic viewfinder or monitor screen, however, this is still estimated at only 320 shots. The electronic viewfinder is the same 1.44-million-dot unit used previously, but the eye sensor – not present in the G3 – returns and also activates the autofocus, so the camera starts to focus as soon as the EVF is brought up to the eye.

The mode dial is larger and the rear buttons are now metal rather than plastic, giving the camera a more refined feel. The shutter button sits further forward at an angle, and behind it sits a function lever – a small rocker for menu and shooting functions, as well as for zooming with the X-series power-zoom lenses attached.

The rear LCD screen jumps from the G3’s 460,000 dots up to 920,000 dots on the G5, with a noticeable increase in sharpness and quality. It is also still a touchscreen unit, allowing touch-shutter and touch-focus controls as well as menu access. As before, the screen is mounted on a vari-angle bracket with horizontal and vertical rotation, but one new feature is the ability to use it for focus-point selection when using the EVF. In this set-up, the LCD screen remains black but by moving a finger around the screen the focus point changes in the EVF.

Touchscreen control

Touchscreen is fast becoming another feature in cameras that is taken for granted, just as it has with smartphones and tablets. However, touch functionality has to be useful for it to be worth covering the screen in fingerprints. Touch focus is a prime example of this technology, making camera use easier as it saves time rather than just space on the body.

The advancement of touch focus in the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 seems subtle at first – the process remains the same, touching the screen to choose the focus-point placement – but it now allows the screen to be used while composing an image through the viewfinder.

For this to work effectively, the LCD screen must be folded out to the side of the camera, changing the way the camera is held. As the user moves their finger around the otherwise black LCD screen, the focus point in the viewfinder moves accordingly. Its use is only a subtle benefit over a D-pad or scroll wheel, but the combination of EVF and rear screen is an interesting one that has greater possibilities and is more pleasing to use than one might expect.

Build and handling

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 behaves much like the G3 in operation, managing to offer a close-to-DSLR feel despite the small form. Construction of the body still appears to be polycarbonate, but the rear buttons are now metal rather than plastic, giving a higher-class finish. The only exception is a rather plastic-feeling control wheel. The EVF is very clear and bright with performance matching the best currently on the market, and it is easy to view, even with glasses. When the G3 was introduced, the eye sensor was removed from the EVF, but thankfully the G5 sees its return, making the switch from rear screen to viewfinder all the quicker. The larger grip is a nice addition, too, and makes the camera feel more substantial, even though with a small lens it remains almost pocket-sized.

When the power zoom lens is attached, the new function lever allows easy control of the lens and gives the G5 the feel of a compact camera. It allows the left hand to remain supporting the camera, which means there is less likelihood of camera shake for video. However, for still use a regular zoom barrel is my preferred choice, and adjusting the zoom using the electronic controls either on the lens or the camera is a slow process.

Menu control is a bit of a mish-mash between touchscreen and cursor operation. The benefit is that most functions can be selected or controlled with both, but the downside is that, at times, it doesn’t feel optimised for either. The Q menu (quick menu) can be quite fiddly to select with a finger, while with the cursor the movement is sometimes limited to the left and right selection when trying to get to functions above or below, such as in submenus. For those used to touchscreen gestures, there is also a lack of free scrolling in the menus or any pinch controls on playback. However, the touchscreen display options are useful, with the ability not only to choose to show histogram or virtual level overlays, but also reposition the histogram so it doesn’t block important areas of the scene.

Image: The 14-42mm X-series power zoom lens provides a handy focal range, but can be slow to adjust the zoom 

Metering

Image: By exposing for the highlights, it is possible to pull plenty of detail from the shadows and achieve some great landscape shots

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5’s 144-zone metering offers a comprehensive multi-segment system that produces well-exposed results within the camera’s dynamic range. Once that range is exceeded, the exposure tends to need reducing by around 1⁄3-1⁄2EV if the brighter area is small in the scene. A test of the tipping point showed that the bright area needed to cover almost half the frame before the metering really corrected for it.

This is in line with most consumer-level models and is easily corrected with a small adjustment of the exposure compensation. Having the metering set up in this way produces better results straight from the camera, and for those who prefer to edit their shots on a computer, it is easily adjusted. The centreweighted option can also be useful for exposing a central subject, but in doing so it is more likely to overexpose, say, a bright sky.

For portraits in tricky lighting, the spot-metering option comes in handy, but is centrally placed rather than linked to the AF point. Using face detection can work as an alternative to concentrate the exposure on a face, often without such dramatic results.

White balance and colour

Image: Skin tones appear very natural in JPEG format, taken straight from the camera

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5’s white balance offers just five presets in addition to the auto setting, but each can be fine-tuned with a full four-way axis. There are also two manual presets that can be measured by taking a test shot, as well as colour temperature adjustment. However, for most scenes the auto white balance does a great job so there is little need to use the presets, especially when shooting in raw, which gives complete control at the editing stage.

In its standard mode, the G5 delivers very natural-looking colours, akin to those expected by DSLR users. For those wanting different looks, the camera offers a choice of six photo styles, including vivid, natural, mono, scenery and portrait. There is also a custom mode that applies the user’s own colour preferences, although all photo styles can be fine-tuned for contrast, sharpness, saturation and noise reduction.

LCD, live view and video

The rear LCD screen on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 is a big improvement over the G3 version, bringing the resolution from 460,000 up to 921,000 dots. Like the previous unit, it still retains its touchscreen capability for menu access, image review and shooting control, including touch AF and touch shutter.

This feature – which allows the user to simply press the screen and take the shot – and touch focus are handy when the camera is mounted on a tripod. The ability to use the screen for focus when composing with the EVF takes this one stage further, though. Touch is generally responsive, but at times takes a more firm press than is needed with smartphones. The quality of the screen is impressive, though, and provides plenty of detail for reviewing image sharpness, aided by the 16x zoom function.

The electronic viewfinder offers a 1.44-million-dot resolution, which is the same as that on the previous model. While the latest Sony cameras feature nearly double this number of dots, the frame rate and brightness of the G5’s screen still deliver excellent results. It might not fool anyone into believing it is an optical device, but the benefits of the on-screen information and advantages over using just a rear LCD are undeniable.

Panasonic has increased the video ability on the G5 to deliver full HD 1080 capture at 60/50p rather than the 60/50i that has been available previously in the GF5 and even the flagship video model, the GH2. This uses the AVCHD format, but MPEG-4 capture is also available in 1080 25p. What this camera lacks for video fans, however, is the 2.5mm mic input of the GH2. Instead, stereo mic inputs are built into the top of the body. In the menu, however, there are controls for mic levels and wind-cut to improve sound performance.

Noise, resolution and sensitivity

These images show 72ppi (100% on a computer screen) sections of images of a resolution chart, captured using the Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4  Asph.

We show the section of the resolution chart where the camera starts to fail to reproduce the lines separately. The higher the number visible in these images, the better the camera’s detail resolution is at the specified sensitivity setting.

Although the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 uses the same sensor as that used in the GH2, results have been improved, most notably at higher ISO values. This could also be a result of the latest processing engine.

At its base ISO sensitivity, the G5 reaches a respectable 28 on our chart with both raw and JPEG files. By ISO 800, this drops to a still reasonable 24, but it then manages to retain this resolving power all the way up to its top ISO 12,800 setting.

This is close to the results from the Olympus OM-D E-M5 at the lower end, but scores better at higher sensitivities.

Noise levels are well controlled in JPEG files, with only slight luminance noise visible through the noise reduction from ISO 3200 and a slight appearance of colour noise at ISO 12,800

The raw files show a greater degree of noise, but it only takes a small amount of adjustment in editing software to remove it so detail can be maintained.

The micro four thirds system is often criticised for the level of detail that can be obtained, especially at higher ISO sensitivities, but while these results might not compare with the 20+-million-pixel sensors, the G5 has greater resolving power than some 16-million-pixel, APS-C cameras.

Dynamic range

The sensor in the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 provided one of Panasonic’s best dynamic range scores to date, at 11.3EV.

This is comparable with older DSLR models and compacts such as the Canon PowerShot S95, but is certainly a continued weakness due to the smaller sensor, given what larger ones are capable of.

However, there are some slight improvements in this model, and the inclusion of an HDR mode for the first time in a G-series camera sees Panasonic providing a workaround at least for those shooting higher-contrast scenes.

Autofocus

The focusing that is offered in the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 is a long way from the early days of contrast-detection systems. In good light, it performs as well if not better than entry-level DSLR cameras. Its remaining weakness appears to be tracking subjects in low light, as it often fails to lock on in low-light situations. This is an area where the higher-level phase-detection systems on DSLR cameras still have the edge. Although hybrid systems promise an answer to this, none to date has managed to keep up with the speed of the Panasonic or Olympus contrast-detection systems.

There is a wide array of focus options in the G5 to control how the AF performs, from continuous and flexible focus options to allow the camera to focus before half-pressing the shutter button, through to touch focus and face-detection options. It can be difficult to identify what each control actually does at first, and they are spread across the menu system. A dedicated focus menu would be handy here, along with descriptions as to the function of each control when selected.

The competition

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 sits at a crowded price point and competes with the likes of the Olympus Pen E-P3 and Sony’s NEX-5N.

Image: Sony NEX-5N

Of these, the Sony model is perhaps the most appealing with its APS-C-sized 16-million-pixel sensor, but with a zoom lens attached it is far from compact and the high ISO results don’t stand up to the G5’s.

As one of only a few DSLR-styled mirrorless models, the G5 offers a unique appeal. The only other CSC cameras that feature a built-in EVF are the Samsung NX20, Fujifilm X-Pro1, Olympus OM-D E-M5 and the Sony NEX-7, all of which are considerably more expensive.

Image: Samsung NX20

Closest in price is the Samsung NX20, which offers impressive results from its 20.3-million-pixel, APS-C-sized sensor. It also includes wireless connectivity, but while the body is quite compact, the larger form of the lenses makes it less pocket-friendly.

Our verdict

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 remains a more DSLR-like experience to use than most current compact system camera models. The improvements to the sensor and processing engine enable an impressive performance and show that a smaller-format sensor can compete against APS-C models. The handling of noise is extremely impressive, allowing critical shooting up to ISO 3200 and the retention of high levels of detail even at ISO 12,800. Focusing remains an issue in low-light situations, though, and is something that may well lead to a hybrid contrast- and phase-detection solution in the future, like those now offered by Nikon and Canon.

Touchscreen controls have their benefits and in places really aid the G5’s operation. However, the menu needs work to accommodate both cursor and touch operation properly. If a viewfinder is essential to your shooting style, the G5 is the most affordable offering and its results do not disappoint. The plethora of available lenses is a benefit to this system, and there are some stunning primes available that really get the best from the G5.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 – Key features

Eye sensor
While not included on the previous model, the eye sensor has returned to the G5. It provides quick EVF selection and activates the AF functionality.

LCD bracket
Allowing the screen to be adjusted by 180° horizontally and 270° vertically, the LCD can be placed at almost any angle for easy viewing.

Autofocus control
The options for autofocus in the G5 are extensive. From the menu it is possible to set the camera to continuously focus without the shutter being pressed. The theory is that your subject will already be in focus before you even move to take the shot, therefore reducing focus time.

Lens choice
The micro four thirds system offers the largest lens range (without an adapter) among compact system cameras, with the ability to use lenses from Olympus and the new dedicated micro four thirds lenses from Sigma on top of Panasonic’s own collection and Leica-branded lenses.

Battery
The larger grip on the G5 provides more space for a battery unit and therefore the potential for greater power. This has resulted in an estimated 330 shots per charge compared to 270 in the G3, which is a welcome increase but perhaps not as great an improvement as expected.

Video
The video performance of the G5 makes it the most advanced in the range, delivering full 1080 capture at 50/60p. In the GH2 video was output at 50/60p, but recorded at 24p. The only downside for videographers is that the camera lacks a microphone input port.

Control dial
The thumbwheel provides the main function adjustment, but in contrast to the other buttons it has a rather ‘plastic’ feel to it.

Q menu
This provides access to the most used functions, but unlike the main menu it appears in small icons around the edge of the screen.